Ginkgo seeds have primarily been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of lung-related ailments. For example, a traditional prescription for the treatment of tuberculosis calls for collecting the seeds in autumn. Once cleaned and processed, they are soaked in vegetable oil for 100 days. One seed (with the hard outer shell removed) is eaten three times per day, for 30 to 100 days. To stop nocturnal seminal emission, a traditional prescription calls for 3 ginkgo seeds. They are decocted, and taken with a little alcohol once a day. The treatment was continued for 4–5 days. The roasted seeds are sold on streets in Shanghai. Before eating, the seeds are roasted under a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the whitish seeds have browned on the exterior. They are broken open to see if they are done, indicated by a transparent, greenish color within. Roasted ginkgo seeds are not eaten like peanuts. Only eight or ten are eaten in one day. Eating too many roasted ginkgo seeds can cause a number of unpleasant effects
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